From fairways and fields to fences.
When a couple fresh from their respective careers in top-level sport start a business, one thing is for certain: they don’t do things by halves.
Meet Luke Brown and Jan Rowsell. He’s an ex pro golfer and she’s a veteran of the NZ Black Sticks hockey team.
Together they own and run Mako Solutions, bringing premium aluminium fencing at lower prices to business, developers and homeowners - and building a stellar reputation for outstanding products and exceptional service.
When you call Mako Solutions, you speak directly to Luke and Jan. And when they’re on the job, everybody wins. For Jan, being owner/operators of a business also comes with a certain feeling of destiny.
“I always dreamed of running my own business. Luke and I wanted the same freedom and opportunities our parents gave us - to be there for our girls, Makenna and Kobi, when it matters most. Just like in sport, we’re not afraid of the grind. The early starts, long days, endless juggle and sleepless nights - they’re all worth it.
We want our girls to grow up surrounded by hard work, committment, and the belief to chase their dreams fearlessly. And to always know the heart of it all is people - he tangata, he tangata, he tangata.” - Jan.
And even though you don’t find Luke hitting the fairways quite so often these days, he is constantly surprised at how echoes of the golf life find their way into his work with Mako Solutions.
“It’s great working with people to come up with the best solutions, then seeing them come to life. Much like golf, I thrive on the challenge of trying to make things better every day - and celebrating the wins.” - Luke
Both Luke and Jan have a wealth of experience in other fields, too. Luke also owns a landscape construction business and Jan is a seasoned expert in business management and marketing, including her role as a driving force behind the wildly successful LOVE Golf and subsequent She Loves Golf campaigns for NZ Golf.
But perhaps the greatest part about having Mako Solutions for both Luke and Jan is how well it works for family life compared to their sporting days.
“Golf was a lot of travel and time away, I’m really grateful Mako Solutions gives me the opportunity to have balance with our family.” - Luke.
In fact, the further they get into their journey, the more both Luke and Jan realise that as much as Mako Solutions is about superior fencing products, it is just as much about relationships and people. So many of their early clients came through their sporting ties, and they are determined to repay their faith.
“I would love Mako Solutions to be a space for people to grow their careers in a people-and-family-first environment with opportunities to give back to the many communities that support Luke and I and our girls.” - Jan
For anyone lucky enough to meet or work with Luke and Jan, it’s clear that these are two people who love what they do, value the people they do it with and are determined to be the best.
No half measures here.